I need advice!!

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Morgan_4282
Morgan_4282 Posts: 13 Member
in Motivation and Support
Alright, so I love this website. I have been consistently logging on every day. However, I have a hard time giving myself the incentive to work out after a long day at school and work. Also, I am having a hard time saying no to the sweets that everyone keeps bringing to my job. Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone have any tips that helped them overcome these habits?? Any advice will help!! :)
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Replies

  • AlysonG2
    AlysonG2 Posts: 713 Member
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    Work out in the morning. I will never...and I mean NEVER...actually work out at night after work. I will always find an excuse.
  • jatten
    jatten Posts: 6 Member
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    When someone offers me something delicious, I look at it and ask myself which I want more, to taste that or to look like what I'm going to look like when I get where I'm going. To date, no one has baked anything that has won that challenge.

    You might see if you can't bring tiny travel-size bottles of mouthwash to work. The thought of that horrible taste you get when eating food right after brushing usually makes it easy to say no. You could just swish a little mouthwash every trip to the bathroom or once an hour (whatever your work schedule allows for) to keep that nasty-taste barrier working for you.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    With exercise, my best advice is to fake it till you make it. Set small goals at first. 20 minutes a day. Once you get started, there's a fair chance you'll do a little more each time. Even something as simple as making yourself get into your exercise clothes can be enough to get you going. And after a little while you'll get into the habit and it won't be such a fight.
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
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    I use my lunch hour to go for walks because I know after an hour commute followed by making dinner and cleaning up that I won't have the energy or the will to exercise. As for the treats...that's a hard one. Pop a piece of gum in your mouth, I find mint takes away my graving for sweets. You could also keep some of those 100 calorie snacks on you so you can still treat yourself, but with something easier to account for. Of course the other option is to just eat the treat, log it, and cut those calories out of you dinner or evening snack. Depends on what's more important to you. I find that I LOVE dinner and and evening snack so the treats just don't tempt me during the day.
  • SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222
    SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222 Posts: 252 Member
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    I have the same problem with people bringing snacks to work - it used to be so hard to resist. Just keep healthy snacks at your desk and make sure you are never STARVING and keep your goal in mind. My desk sort of looks like a grocery store - I have almonds, a couple bananas, oranges and I almost always bring my lunch.

    As far as not wanting to work out - I also had an issue with that - after working all day, last thing I want to do is go to the gym but now I participate in a "bootcamp" type workout and that adds the accountability factor - I feel like I'm being flakey and irresponsible if I don't go, plus my trainer makes it known that he is not pleased with my absense via sarcastic snarky text messages. Maybe join a group class at the gym or get a workout buddy?
  • Kaylaef
    Kaylaef Posts: 194 Member
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    I prepare myself for the evil work food! I keep almonds and peanut butter, applies, bananas, even oatmeal at my desk. And if someone offers something super delicious and I am feeling really hungry...im all, I"'ll eat this apple and if that doesn't work, then perhaps i'll have some treat" but normally after the apple I am full and happy : ) specially if I throw a little peanut butter on it. I am not super active. I go skating once or twice a week, walk the dog. Im doing really well. Im down 22lbs in 10 weeks :)
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Working out in the morning is probably better.

    As for the crap people bring to work: one of the director's here had a meeting last week, and brought back all sorts of chips/cookies that were left over. Miraculously, I've done fairly well at staying away from them.

    Make sure they keep those things in a place where you don't go past it very often, or put them back in the bringer's office.

    A few years ago, one of our vendors sent each of our director's (there were about 5 in our office at that time) several pounds of chocolates. One director (who I typically have run-ins with) took one look at them, knew I was trying to lose weight, put them back in the box and said, "Let me take these out to my car." That day, I could've kissed him.

    I just try to tell myself, instead of saying, "NOT EVER", I say, "Just not right now....maybe later" and hope that later never comes! If it does come, I'll take a small amount, go into another room, and try to thoroughly enjoy them.
  • kempt_ken
    kempt_ken Posts: 96 Member
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    Dido for walking at lunch and I carry a pedometer to track my steps.

    Tried the gym thing a number of times but Ive realized, I'm just not gym rat ,so I look for exercise opportunities that better fit me. That has worked much better for me.

    We're all different so the key is finding what works for us.

    I use my lunch hour to go for walks because I know after an hour commute followed by making dinner and cleaning up that I won't have the energy or the will to exercise. As for the treats...that's a hard one. Pop a piece of gum in your mouth, I find mint takes away my graving for sweets. You could also keep some of those 100 calorie snacks on you so you can still treat yourself, but with something easier to account for. Of course the other option is to just eat the treat, log it, and cut those calories out of you dinner or evening snack. Depends on what's more important to you. I find that I LOVE dinner and and evening snack so the treats just don't tempt me during the day.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    When someone offers me something delicious, I look at it and ask myself which I want more, to taste that or to look like what I'm going to look like when I get where I'm going. To date, no one has baked anything that has won that challenge.

    You might see if you can't bring tiny travel-size bottles of mouthwash to work. The thought of that horrible taste you get when eating food right after brushing usually makes it easy to say no. You could just swish a little mouthwash every trip to the bathroom or once an hour (whatever your work schedule allows for) to keep that nasty-taste barrier working for you.

    dafuq
  • ChampCrucial
    ChampCrucial Posts: 120 Member
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    No idea what you calorie goal is but mine is 2000. Each meal and snack is 500. I allow 500 calories to any snack. So, maybe you could designate 200 calories to anything you want. I have a hard time dealing with sweets too as my diary will reveal but this method works well for me.

    At the end of the day I take my workout as my piece. I say pop some music in and enjoy yourself. Find something you love. I can play basketball for an hour at a time without even thinking its a workout. Also, find a buddy
  • SouthernMommy11
    SouthernMommy11 Posts: 74
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    Bring your own snacks! Things you like but are healthy!
  • McKenzieLeigh
    McKenzieLeigh Posts: 113 Member
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    I have so much food on my desk! I usually bring my greek yogurt, my lunch and 1-3 pieces of fruit every morning, but I also have in my overhead bin and the refrigerator; 100 calorie backs of 3 different snacks, 90 calorie fiber cookies, wheat things, 100 calorie packs of guacamole, string cheese, some sparkling water and some water flavor packets, a can of soup (in case I forget my lunch), oatmeal, and single serve microwave popcorn.

    If there is something in the office that sounds good, I usually have something similar in my desk that is a better choice. Some of my 100 calorie packs are chocolate cookies and some of them are cheez-its so I have sweet or salty right at hand if I need it!! I try to have a rule that I only eat the food I bring and I stick to it except for birthday lunches that we have in our office (homemade foods, I just use a small plate!)
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    I have never been able to keep a solid gym schedule after work so I wake up early and get it done and out of the way. When it comes to sweets, you can eat whatever you want as longs as its in moderation. If you don't have the willpower to eat at moderation then you should try and find it, once you can control the urge to binge the rest just falls into place. Another upside of working out early is you have set yourself for success early, and its up to you for the rest of the day if you want to remain successful or waste your efforts.

    good luck :smile:
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
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    Could you find a work out buddy or get someone to agree to work out at the same time as you. When I see how motivated everyone is on my news feed I feel motivated to move too.
  • fhfreedom
    fhfreedom Posts: 35 Member
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    You definitley have a busy lifestyle. Anyway you can promise 20-30 minutes a day to yourself to fit in any activity?

    As for the work snacks.. I bring my own to work and people see them on my desk and have slowly stopped offering. It got around that I am on a lifestyle change. The other thing I do is hop on here and see how many calories that "treat" is costing me and quickly sum it up to what it would take to burn it off and factor if its worth it or not... usually NOT lol.
  • CassieR6
    CassieR6 Posts: 280 Member
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    I a defiantly in the same boat! I work 8am to 5pm. Have to be outta the house no later than 710 and don't get home till sometimes 6pm and I have a 4yr old to take care of. I am finding it hard to stay healthy with snacking and eating at work as well. Also since I started back at this almost 3 weeks ago I have yet to work out since my option is to do it at 5am which I am finding really hard to do. I would so rather sleep!! Maybe we can help each other. :happy:
  • Morgan_4282
    Morgan_4282 Posts: 13 Member
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    This has been such good advice from everyone. To answer some questions, I have tried to find a workout buddy, but no one fits in with my schedule. I work a second job after work as a swim coach, so that helps sometimes and I just workout with the kids. I haven't thought about having my own healthy snacks at work, and I'll actually start doing that next week ,so thank you all. I would love motivator friends, so please add me if you want!
  • craigheon
    craigheon Posts: 167 Member
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    I look at things in a calorie aspect. If someone brings in donuts to work, I ask myself "Hmm, is it really worth 300+ calories to burn that off?" I think about how hard it is to burn off 300 calories, and that donut doesn't look so appetizing to me anymore! Is it really worth that minute of indulgence? Most times, probably not.
  • Jgal8123
    Jgal8123 Posts: 1,378 Member
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    You definitley have a busy lifestyle. Anyway you can promise 20-30 minutes a day to yourself to fit in any activity?

    As for the work snacks.. I bring my own to work and people see them on my desk and have slowly stopped offering. It got around that I am on a lifestyle change. The other thing I do is hop on here and see how many calories that "treat" is costing me and quickly sum it up to what it would take to burn it off and factor if its worth it or not... usually NOT lol.

    Solid advice on logging before you decide to eat it...this has stopped me many times from going overboard on treats
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    I break up my exercise into pieces. . . I either walk my dog, treadmill or jump on my fitness trampoline for 15 minutes each morning. Then I try to take a 15 minute walk at work, then I finish up by doing some kind of exercise in the evening. . . but I'm not faced with a long workout.

    I also bring tons of food to work. I have all kinds of delicious things available to me, so I mostly walk away from the lounge when I see boxes of donuts and birthday cake. It's mostly not high quality stuff anyway. I refuse to waste calories on any food less than fabulous.

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